Liverpool transfer update: Martin Zubimendi alternative target for Arne Slot in January as Premier League title race intensifies

Liverpool could reportedly look to motion Porto midfielder Nico Gonzalez successful the January transportation model arsenic an alternate to Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi.

After Arne Slot's broadside failed to person Zubimendi to permission Spain this past summer, immoderate fans went into the 2024-25 play disquieted astir the spot of their team's midfield, particularly fixed players similar Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai looked exhausted towards the the extremity of past term.

However, the duo both scored against Tottenham Hotspur connected Sunday and helped pb Liverpool to a 6-3 win, Slot's 21st triumph successful 25 games.

The Reds mightiness beryllium top of some the Premier League and Champions League tables, but it could beryllium omniscient for the Merseysiders to capitalise portion successful a presumption of spot by adding to their squad successful January.

Anfield Watch study that nine scouts person been impressed by the signifier of Porto midfielder Nico Gonzalez, who is said to person a buyout clause of £50m.

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Gonzalez vs. Zubimendi

The 22-year-old Porto midfielder operates successful a little restricted relation compared to Zubimendi, who is astatine his champion erstwhile dictating the tempo of a lucifer from antiaircraft midfield.

Gonzalez has already scored 4 times and registered 2 assists successful the league this season, portion Zubimendi has produced 1 extremity and 1 assistance successful 1,444 La Liga minutes, astir 200 much than his counterpart.

It should beryllium noted that though Gonzalez's tally of 727 attempted league passes is astir 50 less than the Real Sociedad player, his fig of 92.5% abbreviated walk completion is higher than Zubimendi's 87.8%.

It is hard to comparison players crossed divisions successful European football, particularly arsenic they often play successful antithetic tactical setups, but it is important that immoderate caller accomplishment astatine Anfield is capable to dilatory play down.

Slot has embraced elements of Jurgen Klopp's assertive and vertical shot style, but helium has besides shown a tendency to power games, and Gonzalez's quality to implicit a precocious measurement of passes could marque him a bully acceptable for the Reds.

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Do Liverpool request Gonzalez?

Considering Liverpool are already 4 points wide astatine the apical of the Premier League and person a crippled successful manus connected each of their rubric rivals, immoderate summation successful January indispensable beryllium a wide betterment connected the archetypal XI successful bid to warrant an costly outlay.

Should the Reds trigger Gonzalez's buyout clause, they could besides unintentionally hinder the improvement of Ryan Gravenberch, who has operated arsenic the team's deepest midfielder.

The Dutchman has really attempted much passes and completed a higher percent of his abbreviated passes than either Gonzalez oregon Zubimendi and has showcased an unthinkable quality to accommodate to a comparatively unfamiliar role.

Most had thought of Gravenberch arsenic an precocious midfielder that could transportation the shot guardant astatine pace, but Slot has utilized the 22-year-old's property absorption successful deeper areas successful bid to flight absorption presses.

Perhaps Liverpool would beryllium amended disconnected signing a defender successful the January model fixed the likes of Ibrahima Konate person truthful acold been incapable to beryllium their quality to enactment acceptable passim a season.

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